F-22 Project Largely Intact In Defense Budget

WASHINGTON — The F-22 fighter jet program emerged from its budget dogfight Wednesday night, slightly wounded but still intact.

House and Senate negotiators reached final agreement on a defense spending bill for fiscal year 2000 that continues development of the controversial stealth fighter so critical to Pratt & Whitney.

The $267 billion compromise plan also includes money for buying or developing weapons important to Connecticut defense contractors and their workers. --The full plan will be made public today--.

The largest stumbling block had been the fight over the F-22, the Air Force's top priority. East Hartford-based Pratt is slated to make the engines for the 339 F-22s now planned.

But, uncertain of the need for the plane and its capabilities, the House defense appropriations committee cut the $1.8 billion that President Clinton had requested to build the first six of the next-generation fighters.

The Senate version provided all the money. The compromise gives each side a partial win. Those who sought a re-evaluation of the program will see the start of actual production delayed by at least a year and new stiff testing standards.

The language allows for as many as six of the F-22s to be built this year, though another battle over the next batch is likely next year.

The rest of the measure -- which will quickly go to the floor of the House and Senate for final approval -- reportedly provides either what the Pentagon requested or more for various programs important to Connecticut.

That includes money for continued development of the new attack submarine at the Electric Boat shipyard in Groton and the Comanche helicopter at Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford.